Promise
by WaitingForTheStars
Summary: Kairi's new. Riku's her friend. Sora doesn't talk much. Who is Brenna? Can Kairi unlock the secrets to Sora's painful past and reuinite a broken family?[KairiRiku]
1. Default Chapter

Summary: [PG-13] Kairi's new. She befriends Riku and his friends and a few other characters. Riku tells her about Sora [a friendless island goer who used to be Riku's Best friend] and his painful past. Kairi finds out that his past is linked to why he doesn't talk. Kairi meets a girl at the orphanage. Kairi thinks that she might be connected to Sora in some way, but Riku tells her that she should just leave Sora and his life alone because he has been through way too much. Kairi doesn't listen and tries her hardest to try and reunite a broken family. [K/R]  
  
Disclaimer: [sigh] I don't own the characters in Kingdom Hearts... Tetsuya Nomura does... I only wish I did... Then Sora wouldn't look as creepy now... oh no... and Riku, Riku wouldn't be blind... and sweet old Kairi... Oh Kairi would be with Sora... At peace and in harmony... Too bad I don't own Kingdom Hearts.  
  
A/N: Hey guys, I am back! [Screams because we love Lei] I wrote this whole story out on paper during my vacation and now I am typing it up and posting it because I want to see what you think. Since it's already finished it shouldn't take me too long to get it out there... So here ya go! 'Promise':  
  
The tiniest glint of light washed through the sleek, white curtains and an aura of gold spread out across the smooth, pallid sheets. Her soft, peach skin almost seemed to bleed into the gentle rays as they washed over her frail body. Her dark, crimson hair fell in thin wisps over her eyes, tickling the freckles that lined the bridge of her nose. Dawn had broken and her eyes lightly flickered open, trying to adjust to the sudden profusion of light. She slowly pried herself up and yawned.  
  
Mornings were dark where she came from. Her life before now seemed like nothing but a large, hollow void. Nothing seemed to come to her, not even the most unadorned memories.  
  
'Kairi,' spoke a gentle voice from the doorway. Kairi arose to a sitting position and flung her legs over the side of the bed, her feet barely touching the polished ground. Her gentle gaze shot up to the man at the doorway. He slowly opened the door and stepped through. His heavy, black boots hit the hardwood floor with a soft thud as he approached.  
  
'Did you sleep well?' he asked. She nodded in return and lit a small smile.  
  
'Yes, thank you,' she answered lightly. He nodded, took a seat next to her on the bed and opened his mouth to speak. 'Um, before you say anything, I'd just like to clarify. I don't remember anything, nothing at all. Only that I am here now, on this island. So... I really can't answer any questions that you can't answer yourself about all this,' Kairi explained as she crossed her ankles in attempt to get them to stop swaying. She looked up into the man's dark hazel eyes. He nodded.  
  
'Okay, well, the bathroom's across the hall. Breakfast is at 10:00,' said the man as he got up and moved over to the door. "I'm James, by the way. You'll be staying here for a while, at least until we can find you a real home,' with that James had walked out and Kairi was left to sit in thought. After a few minutes she turned her head to a strange sound to her left. At first in shock, she realized that she wasn't alone in this place. There was a girl in a bed on the other side of the room. Kairi raised an eyebrow as the girl was tossing around and muttering something unperceivable.  
  
Kairi sighed and rose from the bed, her feet hitting the warm, wooden floor. She walked over to the door, but stopped moving when she hard a little voice behind her.  
  
'Who are you?'  
  
Kairi flung herself around in panic when she realized that it was just the little girl who had been asleep moments ago. She sat straight up in her bed; legs in an Indian style; long blond hair flowing over her shoulders; bright, sapphire eyes staring up at Kairi in fascination.  
  
'Kairi... I'm Kairi,' she answered. The girl nodded.  
  
'I'm Brenna,' she said in a light tone. 'Are you going to be staying in here with me?' Brenna questioned as she cocked her head to one side.  
  
'It looks like it,' Kairi replied as she smiled and walked off.  
  
Kairi sat at a long table surrounded by about ten other kids. From the looks of it, their ages ranged from about four to sixteen. Kairi sat next to Brenna and some boy who looked to be around the age of sixteen. Her, the boy, and two other girls looked to be the oldest, which seemed around the same age. The rest of the cavalry looked around 12 or under.  
  
Kairi wasn't very hungry and felt as though her stomach would not approve if she tried to shovel anything down there.  
  
'Aren't you hungry Kairi?' Brenna questioned as she looked down at Kairi's empty plate and bowl. She shook her head slowly in response and simply just sat there, staring off into space. Brenna shrugged as she continued eating her Cocoa Puffs. Kairi turned her head and eyed the guy sitting next to her.  
  
'How long have you been here?' Kairi questioned the kid as he slowly looked over at her. At first he just stared at her. 'I should imagine you don't like to talk about it... Sorry I brought it up,' said Kairi in a complete state of boredom and anxiety. She sat back and eyed the deep mahogany table carefully.  
  
It seemed eerily quiet, though children screamed like banshees across the room. Perchance it was just Kairi's head that made it seem quiet.  
  
'When I was nine both my parents died in a car crash. The rest of my family doesn't live around here,' Kairi looked over at him. 'The thing is, most people don't adopt anyone over the age of two. I guess we were just out of luck,'  
  
'We?' Kairi questioned lightly in response. The guy pointed to the girl sitting across from him.  
  
'My sister and I,' he answered as the girl looked up at Kairi and then eyed her brother curiously. 'I'm Sith and that's Cait. She doesn't like talking to people she doesn't know... Or people she just doesn't like,' Sith explained. Kairi nodded.  
  
'I'm sorry,' she replied to Sith.  
  
'Yeah,' said Sith. 'Me too,'  
  
After breakfast James instructed Cait and Sith to show Kairi around town a bit, but Kairi insisted that she go alone.  
  
'There's a lot of trouble around here...' Sith trailed off.  
  
'How? It's an island with a max population of, what, 100 people,' Kairi stated.  
  
'One twenty-five,' Sith corrected. Kairi sighed.  
  
'I think I can manage it. I'm used to being alone. I'm always alone,' she implied as Sith frowned.  
  
'Well, here, you're not always as alone as you may think...' said Sith as Kairi frowned. She nodded slowly and turned away.  
  
'Well then, if I'm not back by three I guess you can O.P.D me and suggest I got attacked by one of your invisible spirits,' Sith sighed and Kairi left the room and shut the door behind her.  
  
A/N: If my spelling and grammar is monstrous, I am sorry. Let me know about any of your complaints, suggestions, and requests in your review!!! Your opinion is my life! It's the gas that keeps me going. You know; unless you don't want me to keep going... then don't review. Hmmm. Thanks.  
  
Lei 


	2. New Friends

  
  
She walked down the sidewalk. It almost seemed like a ghost town. She had, low and behold, seen a whopping three people straying about so far. It was almost as if she was the only one there.  
  
Awhile passed and Kairi turned down a boulevard, still no one in sight. She was beginning to ponder what Sith had told her about never truly being alone here.  
  
'Hi!'  
  
Kairi let out a small scream as she slammed into a bench in front of her. She flipped her head around when her face met that of an eager boy who stood on a sandy beach to her left. Next to him stood two other boys and a single girl. A frown bordered one of the boys' lips as he punched the eager blond in the arm, sending him back a few feet.  
  
'Look what you did, you scared her!'  
  
Kairi stood and watched in amusement.  
  
'Ouch! Riku, that hurt!' the blond boy complained, rubbing his arm.  
  
'You're such a baby Tidus,' the girl exclaimed/ Riku raced up to where Kairi stood.  
  
'Hi, I'm Riku,' he smiled as he went to go shake Kairi's hand. Suddenly the rest of the cavalry approached.  
  
'Hey Riku, who is she?' Tidus asked anxiously.  
  
'Would you shut up? I'm trying to figure that out!' Riku threatened.  
  
'Eh, stop yelling,' the girl complained.  
  
'Well if you would stop whining, ya?' the third guy spoke up.  
  
'I'm Kairi,' she said lightly, but her words were drowned out in the argument.  
  
'You're such a butt weed Tidus!'  
  
'Shut up!'  
  
'I'll punch all three of you if you don't shut your god da...'  
  
'Hey, man! Fighting is not the answer!'  
  
'Would you all be quiet!?' Kairi screamed. The four eyed her and shut their faces instantly. She sighed and smiled. 'Good now, I'm Kairi...' she trailed off as she pointed up a finger to the silver haired boy who had first approached her, 'Riku...' she said, then moved her hand over to the left. '...And Tidus...' she said pointing to the short one with blond hair. She eyed the other two curiously.  
  
'Oh! Wakka,' he lit up.  
  
'Selphie!' the hyper brunette exclaimed chipperly. Kairi nodded and bit her lower lip.  
  
'Oh, sorry I scared you before. It's just, you don't see many unfamiliar faces... let alone faces... around here that often... and, well...' Tidus trailed off.  
  
'What Tidus is trying to say is that he got excited because he thinks you're hott,' Selphie smiled. Tidus whacked her head hard with his kudo stick and blushed madly.  
  
'Am, do, had... NO!!!' Tidus exclaimed as Selphie giggled through the pain.  
  
'Hmmm...' Kairi sighed looking around the still deserted island.  
  
'So, um, where're you from?' Riku questioned at last after a few brief moments of silence. Kairi thought about it and shrugged.  
  
'I don't remember... I'm staying at James Abbott's house, down... there somewhere,' she said pointing off in a random direction.  
  
'Hmmm... Where all parentless souls go...' Tidus sighed.  
  
'Is it really as horrible as they say it is?' Selphie questioned, rubbing at a large bump on her, already oversized, head. Kairi shrugged.  
  
'I don't know, I only just arrived yesterday...'  
  
'So, what happened to your parents?' Riku questioned, again Kairi shrugged.  
  
'I don't remember even ever having parents,' Kairi replied. The four all nodded in unison. An awkward silence filled the surrounding area.  
  
'So, um... how 'bout we show you around the island a bit...?' Riku offered lighting an irresistible smile. Kairi opened her mouth to answer when Selphie whacked Riku's head with her nunchaku.  
  
'Eh, Riku, you're such a flirt!' Selphie exclaimed. Riku snapped around.  
  
'I'd keep that damn jump rope to yourself. I don't want to have another reason to kill you today!' Riku exclaimed in an angry whisper. Selphie hid behind her fortification of Wakka. Riku spun back around and raised his eyebrows playfully. Kairi lit a wavering smile.  
  
'I-...' she began, but let out an exaggerated sigh as Riku's longing beg sunk in. 'Fine,' Kairi let out. Riku smiled cheerfully, took hold of Kairi's hand and yanked her down the beach. She was hesitantly forced to follow.  
  
'This is the beach. I am basically here everyday,' Riku smiled.  
  
'I'm sure you are...' Kairi trailed off as Riku let her hand go.  
  
'Was there an ocean where you came from?' Riku questioned. Kairi shook her head as everyone's eyes went wide. Riku shrugged in dismay.  
  
'Hey, who's that?' Kairi asked as she pointed out to a person sitting alone at the end of a nearby dock. Everyone followed where she was aiming.  
  
'Oh... that's just Sora...' Riku's voice trailed off. 'He doesn't talk much.'  
  
Kairi's face morphed into a slight frown. 'Why?' she questioned. Selphie, Wakka, and Tidus all shrugged in unison.  
  
'Maybe he doesn't know how?' Selphie suggested.  
  
'That's not it, he probably just doesn't like the sound of his voice,' Tidus conjured.  
  
'No man, I bet it's because he doesn't think anyone will listen to him, ya?' Wakka exclaimed. Kairi looked over at all of them and then shifted her gaze towards Riku.  
  
'His mom died when he was seven. He barely talked after that,' Riku sad as everyone turned to look at him. 'We used to be best friends, Sora and I... but ever since he began to distant himself, I guess our friendship just kind of... faded out,' Riku explained with a semi- frighteningly blank stare upon his face. Everyone fell silent.  
  
'Riku...' Selphie trailed off slowly. Riku frowned and turned around, walking off.  
  
'He doesn't like to think about it,' Tidus explained. Kairi nodded as her gaze shifted back to Riku.  
  
'Nice meeting you guys,' Kairi smiled at Tidus, Wakka, and Selphie.  
  
'No problem, man, anytime!' Wakka smiled. Kairi smiled back and followed Riku.  
  
'Hmmm... too bad she doesn't know that Riku doesn't like to be followed,' stated Selphie airily.  
  
'Yeah, Selph, you'd know,' Tidus smirked playfully. Selphie whacked his head with her nunchaku.  
  
'Ouch! Selphie!!!'  
  
Riku sat on a small island connected to the larger one by a long bridge. Kairi crossed the bridge and stood behind Riku as he sat on a bizarrely shaped tree bearing strange, star-shaped fruit.  
  
'Is there something you want?' asked Riku coldly. Kairi shook her head.  
  
'No,' she replied lightly as she walked up behind him and sat down next to him. She squinted against the blinding, afternoon sun. They sat in the bitter silence of each other's company until Kairi spoke up  
  
'Does he have any friends?' Kairi questioned as Riku shook his head.  
  
'I gave up trying to talk to him years ago,' Riku sighed.  
  
'Well, maybe he just needs someone who'll listen to the silence... you know?' Kairi questioned as Riku shook his head slowly.  
  
'No... I think all he needs is a way out...' said Riku lightly.  
  
'You mean... out of, his life?' Kairi questioned, Riku nodded. Kairi fell silent.  
  
'His dad is never home anymore. When he is, he's drunk. Sora used to come over to my house whenever his dad would threaten him. We knew it was just the booze talking... He never physically hurt Sora... Just threatened to,' Riku explained.  
  
'Why didn't you go to the police or something? Physical violence or not, it's still abuse,' said Kairi. Riku shook his head.  
  
'We had no proof of mental harassment. Mr. Darco (his dad) would be sober at all the court trials and always told the judge that his son was mute because of a family tragedy. On those days, his father would always treat him really nice, like they were nothing but a normal family,' Riku continued slowly.  
  
'Couldn't you do something?' Kairi questioned.  
  
'Nope. I was only eleven. Nobody takes anything an eleven year old kid says seriously,' Riku paused. 'And my mom didn't want to be involved. She believed Sora's father... Go figure,'  
  
Kairi nodded slowly and bit her bottom lip.  
  
'When his mom did, his sister was only just born. His father decided, a year later, that he couldn't take care of a baby... Mr. Darco abandoned her,' Riku sighed. 'That's when Sora stopped talking altogether... His mother, then his sister, his father went nuts... He's had a tough life,' Riku finished. Kairi took a deep breath.  
  
'So... That's why he doesn't talk, huh?' Kairi replied. Riku sighed.  
  
'I guess so,' he said in response.  
  
'Hmmm,' Kairi agreed. 'Do you know where his sister went?' Kairi questioned. Riku shook his head.  
  
'I can't sat... I haven't seen her since she was a year old,' Riku stated.  
  
'What was her name?' Kairi questioned softly. Riku smiled.  
  
'Brenna...' he answered. Kairi felt her heart skip a beat and her eyes went wide. 'What is it?' Riku questioned.  
  
'Oh, um... Nothing,' Kairi spat out quickly. 'It's a pretty name,' she smiled. It was probably just a coincidence anyway. Sith had told her that most kids under two were gone as soon as they came. If Sora's sister had been one then she must have been adopted already.  
  
A silence drifted over and the only sound emanated off the ocean surf and the seagulls calling overhead.  
  
'Do you want me to walk you home?' Riku questioned, aiming his gaze towards Kairi. She nodded slowly, looking down at the sand. 


End file.
